How Can a Home Be Both an Asset and a Canvas?
A house can be an asset. It can also be a canvas. This Oakland duplex was where I learned it could be both. It was the first home I ever owned. I co-owned it for ten years and lived there for five. I didn’t know much about design yet. I just knew I didn’t want the place to feel generic. I wanted color, art, and choices that showed personality. Four original murals became part of the home. Three were painted by friends who owned a local Oakland gallery, including the large exterior piece, “Love for The Town.” The fourth was a sloth with the Golden Gate Bridge behind it and the words, “The dream is free. The hustle is sold separately.” “Love for The Town” celebrated Oakland; the sloth mural paid homage to my hometown, San Francisco. @sarah.williams.design helped bring the interiors together. She sourced all of the furniture and helped us think through ideas for different parts of the house. I was still figuring out my style, but this house changed how I saw real estate. Transforming homes became my creative outlet - a way to give each project an identity and let some of my own personality come through in the choices. The duplex recently sold, but that part of me never left. This is where it started. Mural artists: @goodmothergallery @goodmotherstudio @endeavors_oakland I haven’t been able to track down the artist who painted the sloth mural. If you have his handle, please tag him so I can give him proper credit. #BayAreaRealEstate #BayAreaHomes #HomeRenovation #InteriorDesign #HomeTransformation
October 8, 2026